IS THE FUTURE OF PR IN PERIL

As a business that depends on clients’ interest in being published and featured in the media, a talking point of prime importance is the reliability and future of the media. Of course, when it comes to our specialty in media relations, this is a critical conversation and leads to this important question; do people still trust the media?

Traditionally, the executives and brands that come to us are leveraging the media to build credibility, but if the integrity of the media is being questioned, is what we do still relevant? How will we reach our audiences effectively? How will we impact businesses’ bottom line?

Sidestep the content overload:

When devising your PR program, there are three key factors that you should consider to accommodate the shifting landscape.

1. Broaden your view of the marketing mix and how it works together.

   The marketing rule of seven says that the audience needs to see an ad at least seven times to take action. Factor this into your plan. How can you position your PR-focused content in alignment with SEO, advertising, sponsorships, speaking programs, and your website? Explore your SEO needs first, and then find out how to combine them into your messaging to make it work for the other parts of your program as well. A good writer on your team is essential.

2. Double down on your messaging.

   The effectiveness of an advertisement significantly increases when there is an alignment of messaging on the landing pages, so make sure you are weaving similar messages from your PR, advertising, and marketing campaigns together. Are you conveying the same message across platforms? Are they unified or disjointed? Review this to ensure there’s no confusion and then commit to it.

3. Start integrating a data-driven approach.

   The idea that “PR is not measurable” is only true if you can’t connect how each part of the communication mix supports each other. Public relations is the organic function that builds brand awareness, leadership, and credibility; you can leverage these opportunities by integrating tracked links (UTM’s or Bitly links) to identify how your audiences are finding your website or other marketing materials. Make sure when you’re working on PR that it’s actually reaching the target audience you want to attract and driving them to action.

So, is it the end of PR? No, it’s just time to evolve and get more creative with content and, even better, have a deeper understanding of why and how consumers explore content, leverage credibility, and make decisions.